Tamil Nadu tells Supreme Court not opposed to RSS route march but can't have it in sensitive locations; parties to discuss proposed routes

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) route march in Tamil Nadu will not take place on the earlier scheduled date of March 5 after the Supreme Court adjourned the case on a submission by the State that the parties will discuss suitable routes to arrive at a solution [K Phanindra Reddy vs and ors G Subramanian]..A bench of Justices V Ramasubramanian and Pankaj Mithal allowed the State to conduct dialogue with RSS on proposed routes for March until the next date..During the course of the hearing, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the State, informed the Court that while the government is not totally opposed to having the route march, they cannot be in every locality. "We said like Coimbatore... don't do it since there have been Popular Front of India (PFI) incidents and banned... but High Court says let them be held wherever but law and order is upto the State. They cannot have it carta blanche. This matter concerns the state and is of highest public interest. Court cannot shut its eye to the bomb blasts in Coimbatore, PFI incidents etc," the Senior Counsel said. .On the other hand, Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani argued that since the State is unable to control a terrorist organisation (PFI), they are banning RSS route march."3 districts I was permitted (to, conduct route march) but I am banned in 41 districts. After NIA ban (on PFI) there have been no incidents. What is your apprehension?", he stated. .The State requested the Court to adjourn the hearing to March 17 and said that in the interim, the other side would be given inputs and proposed routes. "We will work it out," Rohatgi said. .The Supreme Court was hearing a plea by the Tamil Nadu government challenging a Madras High Court order permitting the RSS to carry out its route march in Tamil Nadu on rescheduled dates.On February 10, a division bench of the High Court had lifted previous restrictions on the route march and directed the Tamil Nadu police to allow the RSS to conduct the same. In its order, the Court had emphasised the importance of protests in a healthy democracy.The RSS had, in October 2022, sought the Tamil Nadu government's permission to carry out its march in the State to mark 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' and Gandhi Jayanti.However, the government had refused, which led to the RSS moving a plea before the Madras High Court for relief.On November 4 that year, a single-judge of the High Court gave the RSS permission to conduct the march subject to certain conditions.The RSS challenged the November 4 order, which among other things, had directed the RSS to conduct its route march in an enclosed space or indoors.A division bench of Justices R Mahadevan and Mohammed Shaffiq on February 10 this year set aside the single-judge order and restored an earlier order from September 22, 2022, which had directed the police to consider the RSS' representation and to grant them permission for the march.The High Court in its February 10 order, also directed the RSS to give to the Tamil Nadu police any three dates of its choice to hold the route march in the State, adding that the police must grant permission for the march on any one of those three dates.The Court also ordered the RSS to follow strict discipline during the event, cautioning that they must not resort to any provocation. The State government was directed to make necessary security and traffic arrangements for the march as well..The High Court ordered the RSS to follow strict discipline during the event, cautioning that they must not resort to any provocation. The State government was directed to make necessary security and traffic arrangements for the march as well.The RSS had in October 2022 sought the Tamil Nadu government's permission to carry out its march in the State to mark 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' and Gandhi Jayanti..[Read our live-coverage of the hearing below].[Read order]